Behind the great waterfall was a natural cavern the size of a soccer field. Countless bamboo-shoot-shaped stalactites glowed faintly from the ceiling, creating a breathtaking sight. Several pools as wide as wells were scattered across the ground.
"A Water Style barrier? ...That really is rare."
As Hayato spoke, he reached into one of the pools. The water was crystal clear, its surface rippling beneath a membrane-like chakra barrier. The chakra membrane wrapped around Hayato's hand, leaving it completely dry. It felt cool and pleasant, like being wrapped in soft silk.
Shibuki's expression changed slightly. There were several pools, but only one was the true entrance to Takigakure. The others were decoys meant to mislead intruders, and many of them contained traps.
One of the key reasons Takigakure had avoided invasion was the concealment of its entrance. The barrier at Takigakure's entrance had been refined over generations, and its stealth went without saying.
Yet Hayato had seen through it at a glance. Shibuki was secretly shocked. Hyuga Hayato... Wait! A piece of intelligence flashed through his mind.
Wasn't one of the people who had killed Kakuzu named Hyuga Hayato?
The main reason Shibuki had not made the connection immediately was that Hayato's eyes no longer resembled the traditional Byakugan of the Hyuga Clan.
Kakuzu's reputation within Takigakure was sharply divided. One side believed Kakuzu was a rogue ninja who had stolen the village's treasure-like secret technique. Earth Grudge Fear was the reason for Takigakure's decline, and more pursuit squads should be sent to capture Kakuzu and reclaim the technique. The other side believed that although Kakuzu was a rogue ninja, he had in fact made Takigakure ninja famous and should be recruited back, especially since several decades had already passed.
Still, both sides merely talked. Takigakure had failed to catch Kakuzu